Help with fundraising

That's a great cause, Regina. And yours is a huge question.

While I never was a "development director," as a grant writing consultant (for 15 years), I worked with a few small nonprofits that desperately needed money to keep the doors open. Mostly my clients were larger and qualified for state and federal grants (the $200,000+ kind).

I think your best bet is to start locally and develop a donor list that way. Events can be very time-intensive and it sounds like you are doing this on the side in your "spare time" (spare time? what's that?).

I've seen a few organizations have some success spending a weekend afternoon at Petco to promote their animal-focused 501(c)(3) and develop a list of people to put on their e-letters, as well as ask for donations. You definitely need to find where your audience (animal lovers) hang out.

Best of luck to you!

Here is a link: http://www.helpinganimals.com/ga_fundraise.asp

Wow, you never know what cool resources you'll find on Biznik, just by putting your question out there. Rebecca has an Internet resource for you that I'm sure has some great ideas.

As I said, I was a grants specialist and don't have all the answers when it comes to fundraising. You asked about companies. I believe there are a couple of private foundations in the Seattle area that have animal welfare listed as one of their giving interests.

There is a directory that comes out every year that focuses on grant/giving opportunities with Northwest companies and foundations. I think it's put out by the Pacific Northwest Grantmakers Forum. You would need to purchase it, UNLESS your local library has a copy that you can take to a table and browse through.

The local foundations and corporations have specific areas of interest and preferred ways of contacting them, deadlines, etc. They are all in this directory.

Wish I could be more help. Your cause is near and dear to my heart. Our first business, Cat's Eye Group, wrote and designed promotional and educational materials for Delta Society, the locally based national nonprofit that provides therapy animals for the disabled. Another great organization.

Best of luck with your fundraising, Regina!

Gina:

I have planned many auctions and if you choose to go that route I would love to help.

Hi Regina, I head up my own non-profit. I would be glad to share a couple of things that we are using very successfully to fund ours. If your interested send me a message on Biznik.

I HEART fundraising!

If I can help with how to make a nice, civilized "ask", let me know...........

Hi Regina,

I have a product which might be a good fit for your fund raising efforts. My company has developed a medical support product (http://www.icepacket.com/) and we have worked with other organizations on their fund raising efforts via profit sharing. They have promoted and sold of our product and in return we have provided a percentage of the sales back to their organizations. We have found that when our clients overlap with those of the organizations we are partnering with for a fund raiser that the results are positive. If you would be interested in knowing more, please let me know.

Thanks,

Brad

Regina, my specialty is the pick up the phone and ask for what you need approach. I've found that if you do very careful examination of what your organization needs, it can often be obtained through in kind donations. Beyond that, there is no substitute for persistence and commitment. Often, the biggest hurdle is breaking down the mental barriers that staff, board members and volunteers have towards fundraising itself.

As is the case in so many fields of endeavor, it starts with vision, then commitment, and, finally, plunging in.